It was a rainy day, I had not been to Lagos for about seven years and was expectant; the trip had to be worth it, I thought. Looking around the Sleek Centre Hall, participants had started coming in, but the seats for the speakers were empty. I kept looking around and wondering if someone was going to come up and tell us a sorry tale, presenting last minute fillers to take the sessions since the workshop was free; or if the speakers would still show up, maybe walk in with tiny chips on their shoulders.
My experience was completely different from what my mind had created, all five speakers were present for their sessions and I gained a lot for my 9-5 as well as my personal writing adventure. Below is a long list of points I noted, I believe every writer should learn from these:
- The novel deals with the human condition…you want to change your world but entertain your reader – Eghosa Imasuen.
- You need to always question your art, don’t be over confident. – Eghosa Imasuen.
- Every story has been told, you need to make your story unique – Eghosa Imasuen.
- Never argue with your editor – Eghosa Imasuen
- Your editor is not a co-writer, he is just a very specialised reader- Eghosa Imasuen
- Do not proof-read the manuscript, proof-read the typescript.- Eghosa Imasuen
- The goal of the editorial process is to make the text fit your purpose – Adebola Rayo.
- Do not send your first draught to an editor, it is usually horrible – Adebola Rayo.
- It is hard to see the error in your own work – Adebola Rayo.
- Your editor keeps your voice in your writing or the ideal voice of your manuscript – Adebola Rayo.
- Writing is good because you can do it alongside a regular job – Efe Paul Azino.
- Reading, allowing other voices into your head, inspires writing – Efe Paul Azino.
- If you are to make money from poetry or any other art form, there has to be an exchange of value (a product), you have to find your voice (your uniqueness)– Efe Paul Azino.
- Your production is as good as your consumption (you cannot write above what you read) – Efe Paul Azino.
- Leave a mark wherever you perform – Efe Paul Azino.
- Don’t allow what you have and what you don’t have to limit you – Efe Paul Azino.
- You have to be able to withdraw from the present and continue writing for the future – Efe Paul Azino.
- The art of storytelling is pretty much like the art of seduction – Ike Nnebue.
- Make your characters likeable, hateable or sympathetic – Ike Nnebue
- For unique dialogue, don’t use the first idea that comes to you. It is usually the regular thing, dig deeper – Ike Nnebue.
- Don’t be a parrot, it is a visual art (show don’t tell).- Ike Nnebue
- Consider the budget, but a low budget doesn’t mean mediocre – Ike Nnebue.
- Make your scenes memorable, 5 scenes unforgettable- Ike Nnebue.
- There is no such thing as writers’ block; it is a fiction of your imagination- Okechukwu Ofili.
- You do not need inspiration to write, but it sure helps – Okechukwu Ofili.
- The badly written book is better than the excellent bestseller stuck in your head – Okechukwu Ofili.
- A writer should be able to use a calculator just as well as they use a typewriter – Okechukwu Ofili.
- There is a battle between your internal editor and writer, don’t let the editor win – Okechukwu Ofili.
- Writing is like sex, everyone has different styles – Okechukwu Ofili.
- Do not use big words – Okechukwu Ofili.
- You have the same 26 letters that Wole Soyinka and Chimamanda Adichie have – Okechukwu Ofili
- There are no rules to writing, you make them up as you go – Okechukwu Ofili
Surprisingly, no one came in with a chip on the shoulder and we were given a lot of information about writing, publishing, printing, marketing et’ al – I now know where to print the next batch of my novella. We also had one-on-one sessions with the speakers to answer specific questions, and the opportunity to connect with a wide range of participants from different aspects of the writing industry.
Finally, I have no reason to regret attending the ConnectNigeria Writers Conference and will encourage you to plan for next year’s event. Thanks to ConnectNigeria for putting this together and to all the speakers for sharing a bit of themselves and their art.